A SYSTEMIC REVIEW ON CHALLENGES WITH CURRENTLY AVAILABLE CARDIOTONICS AND THEIR SAFER HERBAL ALTERNATES USED IN INDIA

Abstract

Cardiac disease is an important cause of premature death in industrialized countries. It is estimated that cardiac disease will emerge as single largest contributor to morbidity in India accounting for nearly one third of total deaths in near future. Cardiotonics are the agents which increase the force of contraction without altering heart rate, which can be used to treat cardiac diseases. Due to life-threatening or severe adverse drug reactions of available cardiotonic, people are seeking alternative therapies that may have maximum beneficial effects with least side effects. The present review focuses on various classes of cardiotonic, their mechanism & major adverse effects as well as better herbal alternate of these available cardiotonics. Many of them were scientifically proved as a cardiotonic. All of the drugs finally increase intra-cellular calcium (Ca2+) level which results into increase in force of contraction. Present review also emphasis on the major challenges associated with current cardiotonics as well as future aspects in research related to cardiotonics.